Founding Convention

Faith in the Valley Founding Convention

Launching a New Organization Rooted in Racial, Economic and Environmental Dignity for All People

On Saturday, Sept. 10, people from across the Central Valley came together for Faith in the Valley’s Founding Convention—over 1,500 people strong! Together, we helped to give birth to a powerful, new organization committed to advancing racial, economic and environmental dignity.

As our two co-chairs Pastor Trena Turner (Faith in San Joaquin) and Arlette Flores (Faith in Merced) said, “Today we begin writing a NEW history for the most excluded and oppressed people in the Valley.”

At the three hour “Lift Forum: Power, Faith, Community,” Faith in the Valley leaders shared our “People’s Covenant,” which was affirmed by those in attendance. The covenant aspires to unite people of faith and community partners within the Central Valley in creating a Beloved Community for all of our people around a set of common values and policy priorities. Community partners, grassroots organizations, and policy experts have led these efforts for justice across the Valley for decades. This covenant represents a proclamation of how we will advance our priorities for environmental, racial, and economic dignity for ALL people—together.

Through our covenant, we’re promoting a “trickle-up economy” that creates thousands of clean energy jobs and builds a new clean energy economy; a public safety system grounded in the sanctity of life in our communities, a humane criminal justice system focused on mercy, redemption, accountability and rehabilitation; an immigration system that provides a path to legal status and citizenship; access to quality, affordable healthcare for all children and adults, regardless of immigration status; and safe neighborhoods, affordable and healthy housing conditions, excellent schools, robust parks and recreation opportunities for youth.

We also set in motion Together We Vote, Faith in the Valley’s grassroots Voter Engagement Campaign, to inspire hope across the Valley, and bring thousands of infrequent voters into the democratic process to heal our Valley. For more information on Together We Vote, visit our events calendar.

Faith in the Valley believes that by coming together as a region, we can leverage investment in our communities across the Valley, dramatically impact policies that benefit the most vulnerable members of our region, and build the power we need to make the Central Valley a place where all people can have safe and healthy lives.